Update: Oct. 5, 2024 at 10:50 a.m. ET:
After a low-resolution leak surfaced earlier in the week, more images of the upcoming Air Jordan 6 Retro “Doernbecher” have hit the internet.
While the full Doernbecher Freestyle 20 reveal is set for Oct. 18, one of the highlights of the 20th anniversary collection will surely be this Air Jordan 6 Retro.
The new images show mismatched left and right shoes; the left is colored in a pastel blue with a predominantly bright pink midsole, while the right sports opposite color placement with a softer pink used on the upper and a mint-like green midsole. Both shoes feature “give life” script embroidered on their toe boxes. The Air Jordan 6’s signature lace cover is colored in a glittery metallic gold, and the shade is also used on the shoe’s toggle lace locks.
If the colors weren’t enough to draw attention, the “Doernbecher” Air Jordan 6 comes with plenty of accessories that allow the wearer to change the look. In addition to the mismatched blue and pink laces that come in the shoes, the sneakers come packaged with five alternative shoelace options, several of which feature sparkly accents. It also appears that the sneaker will have the option to add and remove patches, as it comes with several Jumpman-shaped attachments in various colors.
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And there’s more. In place of a normal shoebox, the 2024 version of the Air Jordan 6 “Doernbecher” comes in special pop-up packaging, giving them just as much potential as a display piece as they are an on-foot statement.
With a SKU of IB6059-920, the Air Jordan 6 Retro “Doernbecher” is expected to retail at $200 with launches from Nike’s SNKRS app and select retailers. More details will be announced in the coming weeks. For now, readers can find an early look at the full package below.
What We Originally Reported on Sept. 30, 2024
Nike’s Doernbecher Freestyle 20 collection is just a few weeks away from its official unveiling and ahead of the reveal, a first look at the group’s special-edition Air Jordan 6 Retro has surfaced on social media.
One of six sneakers featured in this year’s set, it hasn’t yet been confirmed which OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital patient designed this Air Jordan 6, but a leaked image gives a near-full look at the design.
Using Michael Jordan’s sixth signature sneaker as its base, the shoe has been given white-and-pink color blocking which could be likened to the Air Jordan 6’s original “Carmine” colorway if not for the bevy of other details included. Light blue fills in a portion of the eyelets and shoelaces, as well as the heel’s spoiler-like pull tab.
Metallic gold accenting appears on the pull tab as well as the lace lock. At the midsole, warmer shades of pink and green combine for a look that contrasts the more muted upper. And perhaps the most significant change to the shoe is the heart-shaped perforation holes which replace the traditional circular cutouts on the sides.
This is the second time the Air Jordan 6 has been included in a Doernbecher Freestyle collection. In 2009, the model was redesigned by 12-year-old patient Jordan Dark, who chose a navy blue suede look. Dark’s design proved so popular that in 2019, the sneakers were rereleased to celebrate the Doernbecher Freestyle program’s 15th anniversary.
In addition to the Air Jordan 6 previewed here, the Nike Doernbecher Freestyle 20 collection is confirmed to include the Air Max SNDR, Air 180, Air Zoom Pegasus 41 and two colorways of the Air Max Dn. Patient designers include Jillian, Connor, Sophia, Tima, Quin and Ja’kai.
The official reveal will take place Friday, Oct. 18 at 5:30 pm PT at the Portland Art Museum.
